DOHA (Special envoy).- The descent of the line from the Casa Rosada was not direct, although it was forceful: no official should show these days for Qatar nor attend the World Cup matches. Despite the desire and temptation, the main referents of the Front of All tried to fulfill that request up to now, with a inflation uncontrolled in the country and strong restrictions for access to the dollar.
He does not formally hold a position in the Government. But Victor Santa Maria He is a trade unionist close to President Alberto Fernández and it is also always present in every act of Cristina Kirchner. At the beginning of the administration, he reached to influence in the appointment of ministers and secretaries, and even in the list of legislators. The head of the Single Union of Workers of Rental and Horizontal Buildings (Suterh) is in Doha to witness tomorrow the World Cup debut of the Argentine team against Saudi Arabia.
He is also a media entrepreneur and hotelier, among other items that it continues to expand during the Fernández administrationparticipated today in banner organized by Argentine fans in Qatar. The appointment was in front of the clock that yesterday reached zero on the Corniche promenade, on the bay of Doha.
Accompanied by relatives, including one of his sons, and friends dressed in the jerseys of the Argentine national team, Santa María, also the owner of Page 12He was wearing a green shirt and a light blue cap. It was several minutes singing with the hundreds of fans who organized the celebration in support of Lionel Scaloni’s team, which will debut tomorrow in the World Cup against Saudi Arabia.
THE NATION He approached Santa María to consult him about his trip. The trade unionist, in a friendly tone, apologized and claimed that he preferred not to speak since he was with his family. After that, he moved away from the flag to Doha Bay.
Con high influence in the Buenos Aires Justicialista Party (PJ), organization of which he was even president, the networks of Santa María continued to be active in the Casa Rosada despite the disgusting departure of their bishop Nicholas Trottathe former Minister of Education who left the Government in September last year, after the defeat in the PASO, and who directed him criticism of Fernández.
Nor did those links cease with the departure of another man from his kidney, the then Secretary of Media Francisco Meritello, who had a strong weight in the public communication of the Government until before resigning, also in September 2021. It is that Santa María continues with visits to Balcarce 50 and officials from high places also visit him at the headquarters of his union.
Under the version that the trade unionist acquires media as part of Suterh’s communication strategy, Santa María expanded its networks when it acquired 90% of Canal 9 y FM Aspenand when presenting IP (Información Periodística), a new news channel from pro-government tint which is issued from the headquarters of Canal 9 in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Colegiales. The union leader even operated a news agency to feed his firms.
But its interference also expands to other areas. Such as published THE NATION, Grupo Octubre acquired in 2021 the company VPM Publicidad, who plots posters, especially in the buses; and at the time he managed, through the Tembici firm, the concession to market on bicycles in the city of Buenos Aires.
While there have already been representatives of Together for Change who warned about the trips of leaders and former officials to Qatar in the midst of an economic context that discourages international journeys, in Doha it is already there too The ex-president Mauricio Macri, who said who will focus on sports management as head of the FIFA Foundation.
Here Macri will be in charge of welcoming the international delegations of politicians and businessmen beside Gianni Infantinothe president of FIFA and who was seen yesterday with the Qatari emir, Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, in one of the boxes during the opening ceremony of a World Cup that had serious criticism of its headquarters.
The former president, who traveled alone, was seen in a video disapproving of problems with his luggage during the flight.
Meanwhile, the landing in Doha of Santa Maria is not the first visit to the World Cup headquarters that is close to the Government. The Senator of the Front of All Sergio Leavyfrom Salta, took a Licence without any salary until next December 16 and in the corridors of Congress it is said that he will leave for Qatar. For this reason, the official bloc in the Upper House will lose quorum and it will only be able to discuss those initiatives that have a consensus with the opposition.
The noisiest arrival was, however, the arrival of Tomás “Toto” Massa to the Middle East with the intention of covering international competition for World Selectiona platform of Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The criticism was so strong that the 17-year-old son of the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, and the owner of Aysa, Malena GalmariniHe decided give up and return to Argentina before the debut of the team led by Lionel Messi.